ABOUT

CHRIS PASSEY

MA PGdip CMgr FCMI FIoL FCCT FRSA

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Chris is a multi-award winner educator, best-selling author and musician.

‘Succeeding as a Deputy Head’ will be published by Bloomsbury on 15th January 2026 and Chris co-authored this with Adam Kohlbeck through their influential think tank, EduPulse which also produces several podcast series including Coaching Unpacked with Sarah Cottinghatt.

Their second book, ‘Effective Professional Development for Great Teaching’ will be published by Routledge in January 2027.

Chris’s work has been published several times in the IMPACT journal from the Chartered College of Teaching as well as guest blog items for Step Up Network, TestBase and Schools Week.

In April 2025, Chris was the honorary recipient of the BCC Arts and Culture award in recognition of his services to arts and culture in the West Midlands- as a music educator author and as a composer.

A proud Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching, Chris recently gained his MA in Educational Leadership (Distinction, 2023) with Coventry University and the National Institute of Teaching & Education as well as being admitted as a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and a Chartered Manager (CMgr, FMCI) where he also gained a Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice. In April 2024, Chris was made a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership.

Chris is Headteacher of Kimichi School in Birmingham, a small music-specialist school, founded by Sally Alexander MBE in 2014.

Passionate about education and supporting others, Chris is Chair of Governors at Waseley Hills High School under the Central Schools Region Trust (CRST) founded by the RSA of which Chris is a proud Fellow.

As Principal of the award-winning Musical Theatre Institute of Birmingham & London (formerly BITA Musical Theatre) Chris ensured professional performing arts training to young people across the West Midlands by providing low-cost workshops with industry experts, weekly classes and the chance to apply for funding from the BITA Foundation to help with audition fees and courses. Their productions have gathered critical acclaim and sell-out performances at Birmingham REP with 'In The Heights' in July 2017 and then at The Old Rep with Jesus Christ Superstar in 2019

Chris is co-musical director of Birmingham Voices, a professional choir that has toured the UK with Josh Groban, Russell Watson and works regularly with BBC Songs of Praise. London Palladium and Christmas as the Barbican with the LCO as well as numerous concerts at Symphony Hall, The Barbican and Cadogan Hall.